Gearbox



Aug. l25, 1942. R. PATE'RAs PESCARA GEAR Box .Filed May 18', 193s 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 v ZZazfrsey AUS- 25 1942- R. PATERASv PESCARA 2,293,758

GEAR Box Y Filed May 18, 19:58

3 Sheet-sf-Shgaei; 2

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 R. PATERAs PESCARA GEAR Box Filed May 1a, 1958 Aug. 25, 1,942.

.. Wulf/.1.221,7

Patented Aug. 25,1942

y GEARBOX Raul Pateras Pescara, Paris, France- Application May 18, 1938, Serial No. 208,713 In Luxemburg December 22, 1937 (ci. A.19a-as) 21 Claims.

The present invention relates to change speed devices, and in particular, although not exclusively to gear boxes for automobile vehicles.

The invention herein is related to that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,222,913. y

The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than other mechanisms of the same kind made up to the-present time.

The essential feature of the present invention consists in devising a gear box in such manner that, at any time during its operation, at least Within certain limits, the choice of the most favorable gear ratio, which will have to be used when next changing gears, .is automatically effected as a function ofat least one of the characteristics of operation, or functional factors of the engine with which this mechanism is cooperating.

According to another feature of the present invention, I interpose, betweenthe' control means consists in interposing, between this control system` and said operating members, a torque limiting device capable, in particular, of preventing the transmission of too high stresses to the operating members in the case of an accidental resistance opposing the shifting into a given gear combination. y

Other features of the present invention will result from the following detailed description of some specic embodiments thereof. v

Preferred embodiments of the` present invention will be hereinafter described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a. diagrammatic view showing, in perspective, a three speed gear box made according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a'vertical sectional view of a part of a 50 gear box made according factors of operation, such for 'instance as the ratio of the driving and resisting torques.

There exist automatic gear boxes in which the shifting to another gear combination takes place independently of the will -of the driver so that or the most economic. For instance, gear boxes have been devised with a view to obtaining the maximum acceleration when starting, or for picking up under the best possible conditions, or for giving the best possible speed mean with the `maximum of economy, and so on. But these devices do not permit of choosing, at any time, the best Fig, 3 is a partial plan view corresponding to Fig. 2; n

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view by a plane;

Fig. 5 shows the control system of this gear box.

In a gear box including a plurality of gear combinations, the use of the best combination deway of employing the vehicle.

There are also pre-selection boxes, in which vthe choice of the combination to be next employed is always left to the choice of the driver but with the advantage that said driver can, through a preliminary operation, choose in advance the next gear combination he will use. These boxes have, over ordinary gear boxes, the advantage of decomposing, for performing them at different times, the operations of selection and of actual gear shifting, which facilitates the operation, without reducing the number of these operations.

The object of the present invention is to simplify .and to reduce the number of operations to be performed for shifting gears, and at the same time of facilitating, for the driver, the choice of the most favorable combination under given circumstances.

According to the chief feature of the present invention, the gearbox is adapted, at any time of its working, and at least within certain limits, automatically to prepare in advance the gear shifting into the most favorable combination which will have to be employed, this choice being eected as a function 'of the characteristics of operation ofthe vehicle, for instance', as it will be supposed in the following description, as a function of the speed of the vehicle. l

It will be readily understood that, with such a box, two' gear combinations will be available for the driver under any given value of the speed of horizontal '55 the vehicle, to wit the gear combination that is actually being used and the gear combination automatically pre-selected as a function of the speed of the vehicle at this time.

Therefore, it suiiices, in order to obtain this' rends not only on the speed but also on other automatic pre-Selection to prcvide a gear box the general structure is of any conventional type with the following elements:

(a) On the one hand, means for automatically choosing, as a function of the speed of the vevhicle at least one group of two gear combinations; and

(b) On the other hand, at least one selection device such that, when one of the speeds of this group is in actual operation, the other speed of this group is automatically pre-selected, its actual shifting into play being however left to the control of the driver.

It should be noted that this arangement does Vnot necessarily imply pre-selection in a group of springs 1 tending to apply them into recesses 8 corresponding to the respective gear combina- Furthermore, in some cases, when pre-selection concerns several groups'of two gear ratios, it may happen that the driver maintains a certain gear combiantion inside a range of speeds for which this ratio should not be used.

In such a case, care should be taken that preselection does not take place on the other gear ratio ofthe group to which the gear ratio actually` in operation belongs, but on the most favorable gear ratio of the group which ought normally to be pre-selected at the vehicle speed that is considered, the operation of the control means then shifting into this most favorable gear combination.

As for this control means it should be made, in most cases, in such manner as to include a single control memberV always actuated in the same manner, whatever be the nature of the gear shifting to be produced, the operating of the gear box proper taking place through the intermediate of a selecting mechanism such that the desired modification of the ratio of transmission is obtained.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to arrange in order that, during the rst part of its displacement, the singlev control member operates a clutch mechanism so as to disconnect the gear box from the engine during the gear shifting.

Although it is possible wholly to eliminate the usual gear box lever, it seems that it is advantageous, in most cases, to keep this lever, as emergency control means or for enabling the driver to make use under special circumstances of a gear ratio different from that prepared bythe automatic pre-selecting device.

tions or to neutral.v

Rods I and 2 are provided with forks 9 adapted to act, in the known manner, upon the pinions of the gear box. Advantageously, the displacements of rod I are of greater amplitude than those of, rod 2. .Y

All these elements are those of a conventional gearbox.

As the pre-selecting means described coact with these elements, it is clear that it is particularly easy to adapt them on existing gear boxes since their application doos not necessitate any important transformation of the essential elements of said boxes.

These pre-selecting means are then arranged in such manner that they automatically place under the control of a single control member, for instance the clutch pedal I Il, one or the other of the bars I and 2, and this according to the direction of displacement which is to ensure the passage to the most favorable gear ratio.

This result is obtained in the following manner:

' At right angles to the. common direction of bars I and 2, I provide a shaft I I, capable both of slid- .ing and of rotating in its bearings. 'Ihis shaftis operatively connected to the clutch control pedal IU through a lever I2 and a rod I3 provided with a slideway I4 in such manner that pedal I0 can disengage the clutch without modifying the angular l position of shaft II.

Said shaft carries two-levers I5 and I5 provided, at their ends, with notches capable of coacting respectively with lugs I6 and I6', .respectively, according to the position of shaft I I along its axis. Lugs I6 and I6' are carrledby a pivotingbar I1 the pivot .'r-y of which is located between said lugs.

Bar I1, which is substantially parallel to shaft II, is caused to cooperate either with rod l or with rod 2, under the control of a relay device operated by a centrifugal device.

I will now first describe an example of a gear A a gear lever 3, for instance of the swivel type, which can, at will,v be engaged either into a notch l of lever I, to obtain first gear or reverse gear, or into anotch' 5 provided in lever 2, in order-to obtain second or third gear (the arrows indicate the directions of displacement of each bar to shift into the gear combination marked at the end of each of said arrows).

I provide a. temporary locking device; such,v for instance, as balls 6 subjected to the action of For instance, in a longitudinal groove I8 provided in bar I1, I provide a sliding member, such for instance as a carriage I9, advantageously provided with rollers 2B.

This carriage is provided with two ngers 2| and 2| capable of engaging in housings 22 (provided in rod I) or 22l(provided in rod 2) respectively, according to the position of carriage I9.

' Bar I 1 carries an electro-magnet relay 23 capable of displacing, when it is energized, carriage I9 against the action of a return spring 2l tending to engage ynger 2| into housing 22 and thus to connect rod I with bar I1.

Electro-magnet 23 is subjected to the action of a centrifugal mechanism 25, for instance of the ball type, the speed of rotation of which is a Vfunction of the speed of the vehicle. This mechanism 25 is arranged to close a contact 2l when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a given limit, for instance 6 kilometers per hour. This contact 20 controls the energizing of the electro-magnet by Furthermore, between bar a source of current A, and therefore the movement of carriage I9 toward bar 2 and the operave engagement of said bar 2 with bar. I1.

I further provide, according to my invention, a spring 21 which tends toV turn shaft II away from bar I1, and a spring 28 which tends to bring said shaft, by axial sliding thereof, into the position for which lever I5 is located opposite lug I6.

Provide means for. elastically pushing bar `II which will now be n and shaft r pushes lug I6 and causes bar I'I to pivot. Such means may, for instance consist of an inclined or oblique element 29 carried by bar I'I and adapted to coact with a rocking member 30 for ensuring,

through a push piece 3l, the compression of a spring 32 which bears against shaft II. 'I'his spring 32 is sufliciently strong` for pushing back said shaft II, when the notch of lever I5 has left lug I5, into the position for which lever I5' is located opposite lug I8'.

Furthermore, I advantageously Aarrange in order that carriage I9 can slide only when hou s= ings 22 and 22' are located opposite each other. this position corresponding to both of the rods I and 2 being in neutral position.

Finally, fingers 2| and 2l' must be given such shapes, same as the sides of `the corresponding housings, that carriage I9 can assume, when bar I'I moves angularly, inclined positions with respect to the common direction of bars I and 2.

'I'he above described gear box, including particularly simple pre-selecting means, works in the -following manner:

When the vehicle is stopped,lelectromagnet 23 is not energized, and carriage I9 is engaged on rod I. Spring 23 keeps shaft II in the position in which lever I5 is located opposite lug I5.

During the first part of its movement, pedal I0 produces the disengagement of the clutch.

, the pedal.

` mally opposes the shifting into reverse gear, this Then it causes shaft II to rotate against the acnon of spring 21. Lever l5 eoacts'wiui lug It,

' which causes bar I'I to pivot in the direction cor-v above mentioned, electro-magnet 23 is energized and it tends to bring back carriage I9 intoI engagement with rod 2, but this movement of the carriage can take place only on the next operation of.. pedal I0. This operation of pedal I0 first produces a displacement of rod I in the opposite direction, since the point I5' of bar I'I that is now being pushed (by lever I 5') is now located on the other side'of axis :r-y from point I6. Once bar I has'come back into neutral position, as

housings 22 and 22' are now -in line, carriage I9 comes to engage with rod 2 and a further downward movement of pedal I0 will produce the shifting into second gear; Therefore,` this shifting had been prepared automatically under the influence of the variation in the vehicle speed, after the passing into rst gear. x

When the driver releases the pedal after this passing into 4second gear, as oblique surface 29 Vno longer pushes rocking member 30, the acposition corresponding to the engagement 01,75

lever I5' with lug I6'. which corresponds to pre- .paring the shifting into second gear. Therefore,'as long as the speed of the vehicle is abov'e the limit in question, the second and third gears are available, one of. said gears being in service and the other one being automatically prepared for the next downward displacement of If, on-the contrary, the speed of the vehicley drops below the limit above referred to when the' second gear is in action, the action of spring 2 upon carriage I9v becomes preponderating andv said carriage comes to engage with rod I (which f :.l was in neutral position). In this case also, the@` most favorable speed was automatically prepared.

Advantageously, the above j means are com-` pleted by the provision of safety means adapted tov prevent the shifting into reverse gear 4otherwise than under the eifect of a special action ofthe driver. l Such a safety device is' for instanceconstituted by av locking member 33 which norlocking member being subjected to the action of a spring 34 against the action of which it can be moved away from rod I by a push piece '35 housed in notch 4. It sucesfor the driver to act on said push piece by means of lever 3 for shifting into reverse gear.

I may also, according tomy invention, while complying with the general condition above set forth, desired to obtain that,`on the onehand, the shifting from one gear vcomlo'ination to another one ensures the setting into position .of the operating members corresponding to the other gear combinationwhich is to be brought into actionv on the next shifting, and, on the otherlhand, the operating'member of that of these gear combinations which is the most favorable is automatically coupled with the means for controlling the device, the other operating members vbeing disconnected from saidcontrolling means.

Such a result can be obtained with the device shown by Figs. 2 to 5.

A The gear box proper'can be of any conventional or other type, for instance such thatthe. engagement of the various gear combinations' is ensured by the sliding, in opposite directions, of two forks F and F', the first 'of which corresponds to recorresponds to the second and third.

The displacements of these'forks are obtained through four rods A0, AI, A2, and A3, slidable along one another. The forks are carriedv bym rods A0 and A2 the displacements of which are respectively conjugated with those of rods AI and A3 vthrough pinions IOI and IOI the first of whichmeshes -with racks |020 and |021, carried respectively by rods A0 and AI and the second of which meshes withracks |022 and |023, carried by rods A2 and A3,`respectively.

Advantageously, I provide safety means, such as a ball I5I interposed between rods A0 and A2, l 'so as to lock one of these rods in position when the latter has been moved away from its neutral position.

With such anl arrangement, it suiiices, when it is desired -to bringa gear combination into play, to move, always in the same directidn,` the corresponding rod, to wit rod A0 for reverse gear and rods AI, A2, A3 for the first, second and third forward gears.

For this purpose, I will act on the single conltrol member of the device (for'instance a pedal P) which is supposed to ensurealso `the clutch disengagement. l

. when disengaging the spring ball of the like (as shown at 202 on the drawing) which temporarily maintains this gear combination in operation.

According to an important feature of the present invention, this effort is reduced by interposing, between pedal P and the operating rods A to-A3 which actuate forks F and F', connecting means with a ratio of reduction which is variable, said means being such that the highest reduction is in play for the movement of pedal P corresponding to the disengagement of the gear combination that is considered.

In the specic embodiment illustrated by theI drawings,. pedal P acts, preferably through the intermediate of a torque limiting system whichwili be hereinafter described,l on a lshaft |03 which carries av plurality of cams the outline of which is such that they ensure the desired reduction.r

I provide, between these cams and rods A0 to A3,

(a) On the one hand', rocking members B0, BI, B2, B3 to which correspond respectively cams C0 to C3 capable of bringing any of these rods into neutral position, and therefore of ensuring the disengagement of the gear combination that is in service; and

(b) On the other hand, rocking members B'0, B'I, B'2 and B'3, to which correspond cams C'0 to C'3, slidable along shaft |03 and adapted to be coupled or uncoupled therewith, in such manner as to be able to cause any of these rods to move with a supplementary displacement which ensures the engagement of a new combination.

The axes of said rocking members are carried, respectively, by rods of corresponding digits (for instance rod A0 for rocking members B0 and -B'0 and these rocking members are advantageously urged toward their lower position by springs such as |52.

Cams C0 to C3 are keyed on shaft |03 opposite the corresponding rocking members, cams C0 and C2 beinglfor instance carried by a com` mon sleeve.

Preferably, cams C'0 and C| on the one hand, and cams C2 and C'3 on the other hand, are carried by two sleeves capable of sliding along shaft |03, the space between two cams carried by the same sleeve being such that, when one of said cams is located opposite'the corresponding rocking member, that is to say occupies a position which, in what follows, will be called "active position, the other cam occupies a position (which ,will be called neutral position) in which it is not located opposite-its own rocking member.

Cams C'0 to C'3 are then keyed in positions such that they act only after rods A0 toA3 have been brought into neutral position by cams C0 to C3.

Of course, somelgroup of Vtwo cams, for instance C2 and C'3, can be replaced by a single cam. In this case it would suilice to provide axial displacements of said cam such that it could respectively with thev sleeve carrying cams C'0 and C| on the one hand, and cams C2 and C'3 on the other hand.V

Inside' the shaft |03, there is provided a kind of bar |05'on the ends of which are provided keys |06 and |06', each of which is adapted either to be wholly retracted on the inside of said Shaft,

responding to the most favorable gear combina' spring |09.

or to project therefrom into respective grooves |01 and |01' provided in each of said sleeves. This oscillating bar |05 is controlled by a push piece |00 having an inclined or wedge-shaped end adapted to cooperate with o ne of the ends4 of bar |05, while the other end of said bar is subjected to the antagonistic action of a. return I further provide fixed abutments, such as 20| capable of producing theV lifting of rocking members B'0 to B3 in the course of their Abackward movement, so that these members can finish this backward movement by passing above shaft |03.

By causing to coact with the twin cams C0, C| and C2, C'3, means adapted to prevent axial displacements of said cams at least during the rst part of the working of the gear box for shifting from one gear combination to another one (this rst part corresponding to coming back l into'neutral) when these cams occupy a position for which spring r or r is compressed, which means may be constituted, for instance, by providing said cams with collars such as 203 adapted to coact with lateral abutments 204 during the wholei rotation of said cams, these abutments ceasing to stop said collars only when the corresponding cams have come back to their initial angular position, that is to say when the driver ceases to act upon pedal P.

Furthermore, the system is arranged in such manner that: l

(a) On the one hand, forks |04 and |04', which operate the sliding cams, are controlled, when bringing a. gear combination into play, in such manner as to bring into active position that of the cams which corresponds to the combination v 'on the next which is to be brought into action gear changing; and

(b) On the other matically controlled as a function of the speed of the vehicle and this in such manner that it ensures the keying on shaft |03 of the cam corplanations,

In this way.,the next time the driver depresses pedal?, the most favorable gear combination is brought into action.

Although, takingI in to it is possible hand, push piece |08 is auto account the above ex' to proceed in many different ways for establishing an automatic prespeed of the vehicle drops below a given speed limit, for instance 6 kms. per hour, said electromagnet is energized and causes push-piece |to move, under the action of an elastic system such as a spring I I2, in the direction in which it causes cams C0 and C'I to be keyed on shaft |03, the displacement of said push piece in the opposite direction, under the action of spring ||2, having for its effect to release said cams and to permit the keying of cams C'2 and vC3 on shaft |03, under the action of spring |09.

Two rocking members ||3 and I I3' act on forks |04, |04',`in such manner that the'oscillation of said rocking members causes said forks to move angularly and therefore to modify the positions of thesleeves which carry the sliding cams, said sleeves being subjected to the action of springs r and r. n

The ends of rocking members ||3 and ||3' which are located opposite the ends of forks |04 `and |04' are then connected together by aspring ||4, of a strength greater than that of each of the springs r and r', tending to bring said rocking members into contact with said forks. These rocking members bear, through their other ends, respectively on guiding surfaces ||5 and ||5 carried by two rods which correspond respectively to fork F and to fork F', for. instance rods AI and A3.

Finally, I provide each of these guiding surfaces with inclined or cam portions II6 and H6 which comply with the following conditions:

supposing, as shown by the drawings, that all the rods A0 to A3 are in neutral position (and if they were not in this position, the first part of the displacement of pedal P would have for its effect 'to bring them into this position through Y the action of some of the cams C0 to C3) then:

return (a) On the one hand, inclined surface I I6 must not act upon rocking member II3, the end of which will thus be able to come into contact with fork |04 and to produce a displacement of the sleeve carrying cam CI such that the last men,

tioned cam comes into active position, that is to say opposite rocking member BI; and

f the latter then allowing cam C'2 to come opposite rocking member B'2 under the action of spring r'.

- The operation of such a mechanism is the foli lowing:

On the first action exerted on pedal P, the vehicle being supposed to be stationary, thefirst gear is brought into action as a consequence of the fact that key element |06 projects through the corresponding slot and that cam C'I is kept opposite rocking member B'I by the action of spring II4.

On the next action, if the speed of the vehicle has exceeded 6 kms. per hour, key member |06 will have been retracted and key |06' brought into projecting position.' Therefore, cam C'2 will coact with rocking member B'2 so as to bring the second gear into play (the beginning ofthe operation has brought back rods A0 to A3 into neutral positions). y

Now, the displacement of rod A2 resulting from spring r', opposite rockingmember B'3 once the driver has ceased to act upon pedal P. The third gear combination has thus been automatically prepared and the next action on the pedal has for its effect to bring this gear combination into play, since said cam C3 is maintained in active position', after the passage through neutral position, by the actionl of abutment 204 on flange 203.

lWhen the third gear is in action, inclined surface H6 again occupies the position shown bythe drawings and spring r' tends to bring back cam C'2 opposite rocking member B'2 and .therefore to ensure pre-selection of second gear. l

As soon as the driver will have released pedal P, abutment 204 will release cam C'2 which," coming into position opposite rocking' member B'. 2, ensures pre-selection of the second gear.

Below the limit speed, the same alternation takes place for the group of gear combinations including reverse gear and first gear. If it is desired to obtain reverse gear directly, it sumces to act twice on pedal P.

It will be noted that, if second gear is in action below the limit speed, that speed that is preselected is the first gear as a consequence of the.

fact that key |06 has released the double cam C'2, C3, while key |06 has come to project into the groove |01 carried by the double cam C'0,

Finally, in all cases in whichany combination isengaged, the vehicle being stationary, the fact of bringing back the parts into neutral (which necessarily precedes the starting vof theengine) has for-its eiect to-.bring all the parts 0f the mechanism above described into the initial position that was considered, from which position automatic pre-selection is effected as above explained. n

I have thus provided a change speed device of the pre-selection type, in which the preselection of the speeds is effected by groups as soon as the action of the centrifugal device exerts itself.

Concerning this centrifugaldevice, it may be, as 'shown by Fig. 4, disposed on the inside of a rotating element of the system ,of transmission of the vehicle, for instance on the inside of a brake drum Il'l. i

' This ycentrifugal device consists essentially of masses ||8 fed with current through conductors IIS and capableeither of coming, under the action of springs |20, into'contact with a collectving ringv I2|, electrically connected to electro-- 6 kms. per hour, of moving away from said ring under the effect of the centrifugal force and against the action of said springs, thus ensuring the engagement of the gears corresponding to the Therefore, inclined surface IIS' ceases to retain spring ||4, can then coact with fork |04 so as to I rocking member II3', which, under the action of the breaking of the energizing electro-magnet. I

Concerning now the torque limiting device to be interposed between pedal P and the box control mechanism above described, it may be made in various ways'and for instance as follows:

I connect with shaft |03 one end of a torsional spring |22 the other end of which is secured to a pinion I 23' subjected to the action of altoothed sector |24 preferably driven through the intermediate of -an adjustable abutment |24' by pedal circuit of Asaid I further provide means for keeping spring I 22 tensioned, these means consisting for instance of keys |25 and |25', at least one of which, for instance key |25' can move angularly in its compel cam C3' to come, againstthe action of 75 housing.

. speed combinations.

In this way, said spring can transmit without deection a limit torque equal, for instance, to twice the torque that is normally required. If this limit torque is exceeded, the spring yields and pedal P can be fully depressed, owing to the angular displacement of key |25'.

It is furtherpossible to reduce the reaction ofthe clutch springs on pedal P at the end of the stroke of the latter, by arranging the clutch control in such manner that it is effected through the intermediate of a lever |26 having one of its ends linearly guided for instance by an elongated eye |21 'and its other end pivoted topiece |28 (which turns together with pedal P) which carries the adjustable abutment |14.

In this way, the pressing down of the pedal P has for its effect to move lever |28 nearer to the pivot axis of said pedal, and therefore ofreducing the reaction of the. clutch springs.

It should be noted that, in the usual gear boxes, it is generally not necessary that the driver should fully disengage the clutch for shifting gears. It is therefore possible to adjust abutment |24' in such manner (for instance by means of acontroi device placed within reach of the driver) that shaft |03 is acted upon-before the end of the clutch disengagement, which correspondingly reduces the effort to be exerted by the driver for ensuring ,the-engagement of the 'Ihe chief advantagesl of the gear box above 'described are the renewing:

It complies with all the requirements for -a good running of the vehicle, while reducing to a minimum the action of the driver;

It is simple and can well be adapted to existinggear boxes.

In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and eilicient embodiments of 'the present invention it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition arid form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

. moving.

of the active gear box control means for alternately moving in the axial direction the group of the last mentioned cams to which belongs lthe cam in action, so that the other cam of said group is brought opposite its rocking member immediately upon the operation of said first mentioned cam, and means, operative by speed variations of the vehicle, for keying one or the other of said groups of movable cams on said shaft according to the speed at which the vehicle is 2. A system according to claim in which said cams are so shaped as to give a ratio of transmission variable in the course of their rotationso that the reduction is greater at the beginning l of the movement.

3. 'A system according to claim 1 in which said l shaft is hollow and said means for keying one of said groups of movable cams thereon consist of :hlr mounted in an oscillating manner in said 4. A system according to claim 1 'in which the two cams of each group of movable cams are rigidly assembled together upon a sleeve provided with a longitudinal slot, the shaft, being hollow and provided with corresponding slots, the means for keying one of said groups of movable cams on said shaft consisting of a bar pivotally mounted in said shaft, and projections carried by said bar adapted toengage in said slots, alternately.

5. A system laccording to claim 1 in which said shaft is hollow and the means for keying said groups of movable cams to said shaft include a bar mounted in an oscillating manner in said shaft, a push piece movable in said shaft acting on said bar a centrifugal governor moving at the 1. In connection with an automobile vehicle having an engine, a gear box, with at least two groups each of two speed ratios, including reverse, associated with said engine and provided with movable control means for bringing the respective gear 'combinations into service, and a clutch, a system of the type described, which comprises, in combination, an operating member, means interposed between said member and said clutch, for causing said member, during the rst part of its movement away 'from its position of rest, to disengage said clutch, a. pre-selecting device including a shaft angularly movable in response to displacements of said member, a plurality of cams keyed in fixed position on said shaft, rocking members carried by each"of said gear box controlv means, adapted to cooperate with said cams so as to 'bring said control means into neutral position upon said displacement of `said shaft control member, a plurality of cams being axially interconnected in groups of two,

with a distance between them different from the distance between the corresponding rocking members, means operative by the displacement same speed as a rolling part of said vehicle. and electric means governed by said governor for operating said push piece.

6. A system according to claim 1 further including torque limiting means interposed between said operating member and said. shaft.

7. A system according to claim 1 further including abutment means adapted to cooperate with said first mentioned rocking members for Ilifting them above the corresponding fixed cams during the operation, so as to permit the free working of the other cams.

8. A system according to claim '1 in which the movable cams are fixed at an angle to the corresponding fixed cams so as to act after them.

9. A system according to claimi further including fixed flanges adapted to cooperate with said movable cams for limiting their axial displacementsV in given angular positions thereof.

10. In combination with an automobile vehicle having an engine, a variable speed transmission mechanism comprising at least two groups of speed ratio transmitting means, each group containing lspeed ratio transmitting means adapted to provide two different speed ratios, a ilrst means operatively connecting the transmission mechanism to the engine, said iirst connecting means including a clutch, control means comprising an operating member, a second means operatively connecting said operating member and said clutch whereby said member during the ilrst part of its movement away from normal position operates said clutch, a third'means for connecting said operating'member to said groups, said thirdyconnecting means including a preselecting device for selecting one of said groups, means respnsive to variations in the speed of the vehicle to operate said preselecting device whereby at least for said one group selected said operating member.

.speed ratio transmitting means of' said-group upon the next operation of said operating mem- 11. In combination with an automobile vehicle having an engine, a variable speed transmission speed ratio transmitting means of said group upon the next operation of said operating member. w

13. A system according to claim 12 in which said second connecting means includes a bar pivoted about an axis, said force transmitting members being mounted on said bar and movable to cooperate with either of said control members so as to be able to move each of them in either of two lopposed directions, two lugs carried by said bar on either side of said axis, a

shaft both slidable and rotatable connected with mechanism comprising` at least two groups of speed ratio transmitting means, each group con taining speed ratio transmitting means adapted to provide two different speed ratios, a rst means operatively connecting the transmission mechanism to the engine, said rst connecting means including a clutch, control means comprising an operating member, a. second means operatively connecting said operating member and said clutch whereby said member during the first part of its movement away from normal position operatesf said clutch, a third means for connecting said operating member to said groups, said third connecting means including a preselecting device for selecting one of said groups, said preselecting device including a plurality of force transmitting members each adapted to cooperate with one 'of said groups, means responsive to variations in the speed of the vehicle to operate said preselecting device to connect one of said force transmitting members operatively to one of said groups whereby at least for said one group selected said operating member during the latter part of its movement away from its normal position operates to move said preselecting device to engage one of the speed ratio transmitting means of said group, and means operated by the aforesaid displacement of the operating member to engage said one speed ratio transmitting means to set said third connecting means in position to engage the other speed 'ratio transmitting means of said group upon the next operation of said operating member.

12. In combination with an automobile vehicle having an engine, a variable speed transmission mechanism comprising at least two groups of speed ratio transmitting means, each group containing speed ratio transmitting means adapted to provide two diierent speed ratios, including reverse, associated with the engine, and a clutch, movable control members one for each of said groups, an operating member, a rst means operatively connecting said operating A member and said clutch whereby said member during the first part of its movement away from normal position operates said clutch, a second means for connecting said operating member to said control members, said second means including a preselecting device including a plurality of force transmitting members each adapted to cooperate with one of said control members, means responsive to variations in the speed of the vehicle to operate said preselecting device whereby at least for said one group selected said operating member during the latter part of its movement away from its normal position operates to move said preselecting device to engage one of 'the speed ratio transmitting means of said group,

and means operated by the aforesaid displacesaid operating member, two levers .xed to said shaft at a distance between said lugs, and means, operative by each rotation of said shaft for angularly displacing saidlevers, for axially moving said shaft so as to bring alternately each of said levers opposite one of the lugs.v

14. A system according to claim 12 in which said second connecting means includes'a bar pivoted about an axis, said force transmitting members being mounted on said bar and movable to cooperate with either of said control members so as to be able to move each of them in either of two opposed directions, two lugs carried by said bar on either side of said axis, a shaft both slidable and rotatable connected with said operating member, two levers fixed to said shaft at a distance between said lugs, and means, operative by each rotation of said shaft for angularly displacing said levers, for axially moving said shaft so as to bring alternately each of said levers opposite one of the lugs, a, carriage slidable along said bar in-response to speed variations .of the vehicle,` said force transmitting members being mounted on sala carriage.

l5. In combination with an automobile vehicle having an engine, a variable speed transmission mechanism comprising at least two groups of speed ratio transmitting means, each group containing speed ratio transmitting means adapted to provide two different speed ratios, including reverse, associated with the engine, and a clutch.'

movable control members one for each of said groups, an loperating member, a first means operatively connecting said operating member and said clutch whereby said member during the first part of its movement away from normal position operates said clutch, va second means for connect-ing said operating member to said control members, said second means including a preselecting device for selecting one of said groups, said preselecting device including a shaft angularly movable in response to displacements of ysaid operating member, a plurality of cams fixed on said shaft, elements carried by each of said control members adapted to cooperate with said cams so as to bring said control members into neutral position upon displacement of said shaft by said operating member, a plurality ol' cams both slidable and rotatable on said shaft, elements carried by each of said control members adapted to cooperate with said -last mentioned cams, means operative by the displacement of one of the control members for moving axially those of the last mentioned cams corresponding to one of the speed ratio transmitting means of that group to which the cam in action belongs. so that the other cam ofsaid group is moved into a position ready to act pon'the other speed ratio transmitting means of said group immediately upon the operation of said first mentioned cam, and means, operative by speed variations of the vehicle, for keying one or the other of said groups of movable cams on said shaft according to the speed at which the vehicle is moving.

16. A system according to claim `15, in which the two cams of each group of movable cams are rigidly assembled together upon a sleeve provided with a longitudinal slot, the shaft being hollow and provided with corresponding slots, the means for keying one of said groups of movable cams on said shaft consisting of a bar pivotally mounted in said shaft, and projections carried by said bar adapted to engage in said slots, alternately.

17. In combination with anl engine and a variable speed transmission mechanism having means to provide at least two groups of speed ratio transmitting means, of which at least one group contains two force transmitting means 'adapted to provide two different speed ratios.

means to preselect automatically at least one group of said speed ratio transmittingmeanswhich contains at least two speed ratio transmitting means, said preselectingmeans being responsive automatically to variations in the speed of the vehicle by the engine, driver-operable control means for alternately engaging one or the other. of the speed ratio transmitting means of said preselected group, and torque limiting means interposed between said driver-operable control means and said transmission mechanism.

18. In combination with a vehicle including an engine and a variable speed transmission having at least three forward and one reverse speed ratio transmitting means connected to the engine and to the vehicle for driving the vehicle, said speed ratio transmitting meansbeing composed of two groups one of which comprises a low forward speed ratio transmitting means and reverse speed ratio transmitting means, and the other of whichgcomprises two higher forward speed ratio transmitting mea-ns, means to preselect automatically one group of said speed ratio transmitting means which contains at leasttwo speed ratio transmitting means; said preselecting means being responsive automatically to variations in the speed of the vehicle, and driver-operable control means for alternately engaging one or the other of the speed ratio transmitting means of a preselected group, and torque limiting' means interposed between said driver-operable control means and said transmission mechanism 19. .In combination with an engine, a variable speed transmission mechanism having means to provide at least two groups of speed ratio transmitting means, of which at least one group contains speed ratio transmitting means adapted to provide two different speed ratios, and a clutch between said engine and said transmission mechanism, means to preselect automatically'at least one group of said speed ratiotransmitting means which contains at least two speed ratio transmitting means, said preselecting means being responsive automatically to variations in the speed of the vehicle, driver-operable control means for said clutch, and means operable by said control means for alternately engaging one or the other of the speed ratio transmitting means of said preselected group.

20. In combination with an automobile vehicle speed ratio transmitting means, each group containing speed ratio transmitting means adapted to provide twodifferent speed ratios, including reverse, associated with the engine, movable control members one for each of said groups, an operating member, a rst means operatively connecting said operating member and said clutch whereby said member during the first part of its movement away from normal position operates said clutch, a second means for connecting said operating member to said control members, said second means including a preselecting device including a plurality of force transmitting members each adapted to cooperate with one of said control members, means responsive to variations in the speed of the vehicle to operate said preselecting device whereby at least for said one group selected said operating member during the latter part of its movement away from-its normal position operates to move said preselecting device to engage one of the speed ratio transmitting means of said group, and means in position operated by the aforesaid displacement of the operating member to engage said one speed ratio transmitting means to set said second connecting means to engage the other speed ratio transmitting means of said group upon the next operation of said operating member.

21. In combination with an automobile vehicle having an engine, a variable speed transmission mechanism comprising at least two groups of speed ratio transmitting means, each group containing speed ratio transmitting means adapted to provide two diii'erent speed ratios, including reverse, associated with the engine, movable control members one for each of said groups, an operating member, a rst means operatively connecting said operating member and said clutch whereby said member during the first part of its movement away from normal position operates said clutch, a second means for connecting said operating member to said control members, said second means including a preselecting device for selecting one of said groups, said preselecting device including a shaft angularly movable in response to displacements of said operating member, a plurality of cams fixed on said shaft, elements carried by each of said control members adapted to cooperate with said cams so as to bring said control members into neutral position upon displacement of said shaft by said operating member, a. plurality of cams both slidable and rotatable on said shaft, elements carried by each of said controlmembers adapted to cooperate with said last mentioned cams, means operative by the displacement of one of the control members for moving axially those of the last mentioned cams corresponding to one of the speed ratio transmitting means of that group to which the cam in action belongs. so that the other cam of said group is moved into a position ready to'act upon the other speed ations of the vehicle, for keying one or the other of said groups of movable cams on said shaft according to the speed at which the vehicle is moving.

. RAUL PATERAS PESCARA. 

